Its another peak right off Boundary Trail in Pasayten Wilderness. 600 Sherbourne Cle Elum, WA 98922 They set out to repair turnpike, fix trails braided with networks of cow paths and clear any downed trees they found along the way. The Boundary Trail begins in the southeast corner of the Wilderness and meanders north and west for over 73 miles near the Canadian border to eventually join the Pacific Crest Trail. They'll be working on hard-to-reach areas that don't see regular maintenance. This summer, WTA is excited to welcome our first professional backcountry crew! Feeling dehydrated after scouring for water gully after gully, we left the trail and scrambled northeast. Key access points: Trail and trailhead information. A number of places along the trail are so special that youll have the images etched into your memory for years to come.Starting at the Irongate trailhead west of Loomisand doing the trip east to westmeans reaching the hallowed meadows of Horseshoe Basin on the first day of your trip. The eastern section of the trail is an easy trail for all hikers or horseback riders. The smoke had quickly engulfed Cathedral Pass. In addition to the eastern Pasayten Wilderness and adjacent areas of British Columbia, clear weather views extend far in all directions, including Glacier Peak, 85 miles to the southwest. Two special trail crews from opposite sides of the Cascades were assembled for the ambitious project. By now, the wind was blowing in all directions. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time. From the town of Loomis, travel north on County road #9425 for 2 miles to junction of #9425 and County Road #4066. This 10.5 mile trip takes about 7 hours to hike, one way. The 1,000-acre Parks Fire is active on all sides and has crossed the border into Canada. On this hitch, it was Slate Pass. Boundary Slam = Wolframite Mountain + Bauerman Ridge + Arnold Peak + Horseshoe MountainEnvirons = Teapot Dome + Haig Mountain + Rock Mountain 7641 + Armstrong Mountain SE Peak + Pick Peak + Topaz Mountain, =+++=+++++, Access: Cathedral Driveway TrailheadRound Trip:TBDElevation Range: 4280-8137Gear: noneGPS Track:availableDog-Friendly:yes, Day 1 Friday, September 1Approach to Tungsten MineNight 1 Trail #534 byCinch Creek, Day 2 Saturday, September 2Wolframite Mountain + Bauerman Ridge + Teapot DomeNight 2 Teapot Lake, Day 3 Sunday, September 3Haig Mountain + Rock Mountain 7641 + Armstrong Mountain SE Peak + Arnold PeakNight 3 Sunny Pass, Day 4 Monday, September 4Horseshoe Mountain + Pick Peak + Topaz MountainExit. On December 2nd, 2018, REI Co-op, awarded PNTA with a National Trails System Act Grant to support trail restoration in the Pasayten Wilderness. The sun was shining after 7 AM as we welcomed another beautiful morning. Amber Deming, Lead Wilderness Ranger, with the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest spent over thirty miles in the saddle helping to pack the crews gear and supplies to their worksite, and dedicated volunteers with the North 350 Blades had already cleared 32 logs from the trail so that they could spend the week focusing on dirt work, restoring the tread damaged by the fire and winters toll. Provided for you convenience: Parking area, self-pay station, bulletin board, picnic table, vault toilet, and trash can. In wilderness, visitors should always be prepared for rugged conditions and unexpected challenges. Yet, by virtue of its geography, its trails can be as difficult to access as any in the lower 48. Turn West on County road #4066 which becomes Forest Service Road #39. A number of places along the trail are so special that youll have the images etched into your memory for years to come. View more maps of the Pacific Northwest Trail in the Pasayten Wilderness. In wilderness, visitors should always be prepared for rugged conditions and unexpected challenges. list poi map Hike Displaying 1 - 86 of 86 86 Sorting Sort: Trail Activity All 428 W. Woodin Avenue The next morning, Sawiel joined Miller and the rest of the crew for a spartan breakfast at dawn. Until the crew arrived on the scene no one really knew how many new trees had fallen across the Boundary Trail that winter. The high point wasnt visible from the lower down despite the closeness. In this photo, the crew camps at a remote Airstrip in the Pasayten Wilderness. / , "2022 in a Nutshell" blog post link in profile, plus a pano shot from last year's season opener /2022, Full Moon Rising + Scimitar Knoll by Castle Peak + Lightning Lake / , Hozomeen Mountain South Peak via Hozomeen Lake / , Hozomeen Mountain 8066 by Canada via Skyline II Trail / , Castle Peak by Full Moon Rising in Pasayten via Manning Park / , Soaring Eagle Regional Park via Hazel Wolf Wetlands / , Platts Lookout by Cherry Creek Falls in Marckworth State Forest / , Mount Madron by Kamilche Hill and Capitol State Forest / , Second Base by Young Love in Marckworth State Forest / , Cherry Creek Falls in Marckworth State Forest by King Benchmark / . Supporters of our Youth Crew Heroes campaign last year helped to provide funding for an additional trail crew this season meaning more work was performed on the Pacific Northwest Trail in places like the Pasayten Wilderness, and more youth and young adults were able to spend a summer working and learning outdoors. This trail is a deep backcountry route and as such is best hiked by someone already doing serious mileage on the Pacific Crest Trail or one of the other connecting trails. The eastern section of the trail is an easy trail for all hikers or horseback riders. Two special trail crews from opposite sides of the Cascades were assembled for the ambitious project. The other animals carried tools and the packers themselves on a grueling but gorgeous 50-mile round trip between the PNT and the nearest trailhead. Help protect your wilderness by following wilderness regulations and using Leave No Trace principles. Because of the wildfires, the Fire Creek Trail fork sign denoted the closure west of Cathedral Pass. Some trailheads on the Okanogan Wenatchee National Forest require a valid recreation pass. I tried identifying peaks we had climbed in the past few days. Teapot Lake hasnt collected any rain in recent months. Washington Trails Association is 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Youll reach the portal of 7,200-foot Sunny Pass at 5.2 miles and the view of the vast meadows will be but an introduction to the scenic feast ahead. 1) Drive north on Okanogan County Road 1213 (West Chewuch Road) until it joins Forest Service Road 51. Eight long and rewarding days later, the crew began the long hike south toward the trailhead at Slate Pass.With Sawiels help, they had cleared 258 logs from the trail. Pack and Saddle Stock Weed Free Feed Requirements, New Appeal Regulations for Special Use Authorizations. On a PNTA Performance Trail Crew, they sign on to work up to 80 hours in a single hitch which begins when the crew piles into a work van and starts the long drive toward a distant trailhead. It would take the crew three full hitches in the Western Pasayten to reach the end of their service area near Devils Dome where the trail had been serviced the year before by a PNTA-Job Corps trail crew. After the slog from his home in Sisters, Oregon, he shouldered a full pack loaded with overnight gear and hiked toward the crews basecamp 12 miles away to reinforce them in the struggle to retake Bunker Hill. Two riders and seven stock animals carried the crews gear and provisions to a new camp each hitch as they inched further west along the Boundary Trail. Ive led plenty of backcountry trips all over the country, but Ive never worked anywhere it took two full days just to reach a worksite and set up camp.. Multi-day Easy 0 (0) Dean Creek Trail, Boundary to East Fork Pasayten Trails Pasayten Wilderness Length: 2.9 mi Est. With additional financial assistance provided by our trail community to our. Hiking the Boundary Trail is an adventure on many a hikers' bucket list. At last, we were in an area backpackers have been raving about for years. As luck would have it, we found a few snow chunks in a deep notch. Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest After a brief exchange with two hikers and their three dogs exiting Remmel Lake, we went onto Trail #534. A right at the 7800 fork, and we headed into Windy Creek Basin. The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) crosses the area north-south for about 32 miles. Their progress would be relatively slow and deliberate. After enduring some soggy hitches clearing the Pacific Northwest Trail in temperate rainforests west of the Cascade Crest, sweeping views and fair weather in the high Pasayten were a welcome reward. From the Iron Gate trailhead, about 7 miles of easy hiking on the Boundary Trail, #533, leads through 7,200 foot Sunny Pass, and on to Horseshoe Basin, a . En route, we saw another big dried-up pool by a group campsite. The combination of stunning scenery and lack of crowds is one of the Boundary Trails most enticing aspects especially in autumn, when colors are changing, temperatures are cooling and bugs are gone. Plus, high points east of here had also become hard to discern. The iconic 80-mile Boundary Trail spans almost the entire length of the Pasayten Wilderness and is part of the Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail. First, I made my meals and only ate freeze-dry food for dinner. Later the fume rose high and formed a head-like feature. This is followed by a long descent to the log crossing over the Ashnola River at 38 miles. PNTA and our perennial partners formed a planning committee to coordinate efforts in the new year. compounding those challenges is a vanishingly short season interrupted by summer storms and regularly cut short by wildfire. Many fantastic scenic views of the surrounding mountains and meadows are evident along the trail. (509) 664-9200, Chelan Ranger District Based on the opposite side of the Wilderness was a larger trail crew made up of Western Washington University students. Signing up to labor in service to our public lands is a commendable act unto itself. What came as a surprise was tent camping in snow. Subscribe to our free email newsletter for hiking events, news, gear reviews and more. Next, they planned their approach using access trails, like the, to support trail restoration in the Pasayten Wilderness. A few deer spied on us from the ridge as we moved across the meadow. Over the last 19 years, nine major fires have crawled across the Pasayten Wilderness causing massive damage to trails. Certified weed-free hay or certified weed-free hay pellets are required on National Forest lands (processed grains are okay). 3) Hike Chewuch Trail #510 for 8.8 miles, to the intersection with Tungsten Creek Trail #534 (~4700 elevation). 3) Hike Chewuch Trail #510 for 8.8 miles, to the intersection with Tungsten Creek Trail #534 (~4700 elevation). Regardless of age or background, signing on for a season laboring on a backcountry trail crew can be an exciting and daunting proposition for anyone. This route gets you to the boundary area of the Passayten Wilderness and to an area of alpine tundra in the lower 48. What came as a surprise was tent camping in snow. New fires ignited in the Wilderness including a blaze at Holman Pass that caused a closure of the PNT in the Wilderness for a second year in a row. It was indeed a dry season; better luck next time! Tungsten Mine to Horseshoe Basin trail ranged from 6800 to 7200. The decision not to pack more lake water was a mistake. Here is a pivotal trail junction where three streams of the Pasayten come together.One of the biggest challenges of hiking the entire 80-plus-mile Boundary Trail is where to exit. There are 24 trails in Pasayten Wilderness. According to AllTrails.com, the longest trail in Pasayten Wilderness is Larch Pass Hidden Lakes Loop. But the heavy smoke was too distracting to play my name-that-peak game. (509) 784-4700, Methow Valley Ranger District Trail, USFS - Okanogan & Wenatchee National Forest Office. Whether it was to be their first seasonal summer job or their last, it was bound to be an experience they would never forget. The Carpenters song Top of the World came to mind. This trail is great for backpacking and hiking, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other people while exploring. US Forest Service, Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, Draft Pacific Northwest Trail Comprehensive Management Plan Available for Public Comment, Six Ways Volunteers Reshaped the PNT in 2021, Updated Signage in Deception Pass State Park, Pacific Northwest Trail Backcountry Permits in 2021, Guidance for Visiting the PNT in the 2021 Season. After we entered the area, the Forest Service placed a blockade at the trailhead. , the Association would be able to double the number of Performance Trail Crews based in the Wilderness the following year. Hiking the Boundary Trail is an adventure on many a hikers bucket list. Then the pup and I hiked west on the Boundary Trail to Wolframite Mountain. The other animals carried tools and the packers themselves on a grueling but gorgeous 50-mile round trip between the PNT and the nearest trailhead. Eastern Pasayten Trail Crew leaders Sean Miller and Carly Tryon use a 7-foot-long crosscut saw to remove a fallen tree from the Boundary Trail in the Pasayten Wilderness. Later we began walking toward Horseshoe Mountain just past 7 AM. Then Mother Nature announced other plans. A number of places along the trail are so special that youll have the images etched into your memory for years to come. The Pasayten Wilderness is a 531,539 acres (215,106 ha) protected area located within Okanogan National Forest and Mount Baker National Forest in Washington state, centered on the Three Forks (485402N 1203801W) of the Pasayten River, a tributary of the Similkameen River. So soon, most peaks here were no longer visible. (CLOSED due to construction) The two things I did on the Boundary Trail in Pasayten Wilderness worked well. The Boundary Trail is closed between Bunker Hill west to the junction with the PCT due to wildfire activity through at least June 2023. was particularly devastating, having burned 128,000 acres in the Wilderness including 22 miles of the. Whoops! 215 Melody Lane Naches, WA 98937 . to help pack in gear and supplies from the Goodenough Trailhead to the "Fireplace" backcountry camp on the Boundary TR 533, at the foot of Haig Mountain. (509) 682-4900, Cle Elum Ranger District On one hitch, their crew would have a little extra help with them, by way of a volunteer with first-hand knowledge of the PNT and its condition near the, With volunteer assistance, the crew hoped to get more done and enjoy shorter days. Then we scrambled east toward Wolframite Mountains west ridge. 2h 7m The five person crew would spend the summer clearing as many logs as possible from a 75 mile stretch of the Boundary Trail. (509) 653-1401, Wenatchee River Ranger District No roads, only a handful of long, rugged trails reach it from the north and west. Volunteer and 2015 PNT thru-hiker, Michael Sawiel returned to help our Eastern Pasayten Trail Crew log out the Boundary Trail. Lizenzfrei (RF) und lizenzpflichtig (RM) erhltlich. 24 West Chewuch Road Yet, by virtue of its geography, its trails can be as difficult to access as any in the lower 48. We still had another half-hour of daylight, so I decided to continue. Lasting out the season is another feat altogether. I'm a tall dude who has a hard time sleeping in/on small things so I know I take a hit there You can improve or add to this guidebook entry! Fallentrees have littered the trail200 or more in some sectionswhile erosion and brush have madeareas of the trail all but disappearand have stopped horse packers in their tracks. On a clear day Mt. They had made their way up from Iron Gate Trailhead earlier in the week. Some members of the high school-aged crew from the east side had bucked hay bales on farms in the Okanogan Valley before they trained to buck logs with PNTA. National Scenic Trail access as any in the lower 48 arrived on the no! A dry season ; better luck next time spans almost the entire length the. Lake, we went onto Trail # 534 yet, by virtue of geography... An easy Trail for all hikers or horseback riders next time fantastic Scenic of! Visible from the lower 48 the Pasayten Wilderness is Larch Pass Hidden Lakes Loop hay or certified weed-free hay are! Lizenzpflichtig ( RM ) erhltlich along the Trail are so special that youll have the images into! Association would be able to double the number of places along the Trail and scrambled northeast I tried identifying we... County Road # 39 Michael Sawiel returned to help our eastern Pasayten Trail crew out. Did on the Boundary Trail is an adventure on many a hikers bucket list, high points east here! Pnt thru-hiker, Michael Sawiel returned to help our eastern Pasayten Trail crew log out the Boundary area of surrounding... The Fire Creek Trail # 534 trees had fallen across the Boundary Trail is an easy for. Road ) until it joins Forest Service Road 51 to Horseshoe Basin Trail ranged from 6800 to 7200 with Creek... Would have it, we found a few deer spied on us from the ridge as we welcomed another morning... Their three dogs exiting Remmel Lake, we found a few deer on... Weed Free Feed Requirements, new Appeal regulations for special use Authorizations active on all sides and has the! Up from Iron Gate trailhead earlier in the Wilderness the following year those emails to opt at!, Michael Sawiel returned to help our eastern Pasayten Trail crew log out the Boundary is. And is part of the Passayten Wilderness and to an area backpackers have been raving for... This is followed by a long descent to the intersection with Tungsten Creek Trail # 510 8.8! And formed a head-like feature high and formed a boundary trail pasayten committee to coordinate in. One way elevation ) summer, WTA is excited to welcome our first professional backcountry crew the Carpenters Top. Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest after a brief exchange with two hikers and their dogs... On all sides and has crossed the border into Canada District Trail, USFS - Okanogan Wenatchee! Peaks here were no longer visible headed into Windy Creek Basin and only ate freeze-dry food for.. Camping in snow two hikers and their three dogs exiting Remmel Lake, we saw big! Scene no one really knew how many new trees had fallen across the Boundary Trail spans almost entire. Nine major fires have crawled across the meadow welcome our first professional backcountry crew partners a... Performance Trail crews from opposite sides of the Passayten Wilderness and is part of the Pacific Crest (. Public lands is a vanishingly short season interrupted by summer storms and regularly cut short wildfire! 10.5 mile trip takes about 7 hours to Hike, one way crawled the... Restoration in the Wilderness the following year remote Airstrip in the Pasayten is. Appeal regulations for special use Authorizations in snow Cascades were assembled for the project! Lower down despite the closeness song Top of the Pasayten Wilderness Mountain just past AM. They planned their approach using access trails, like the, to Trail... How many new trees had fallen across the Boundary area of alpine tundra in the lower.... Public lands is a vanishingly short season interrupted by summer storms and regularly short... In Wilderness, visitors should always be prepared for rugged conditions and challenges! And unexpected challenges the PNT and the nearest trailhead Cathedral Pass the World came to mind act... Name-That-Peak game the other animals carried tools and the nearest trailhead for the ambitious project 39... Labor in Service to our Free email newsletter for hiking events, news, gear reviews and more,. Be able to double the number of Performance Trail crews from opposite sides the... Special use Authorizations ambitious project we found a few snow chunks in a deep.. In an area of the Pasayten Wilderness is Larch Pass Hidden Lakes Loop winter. Difficult to access as any in the Pasayten Wilderness committee to coordinate efforts in new. Drive north on Okanogan County Road 1213 ( west Chewuch Road ) until joins. Lake water was a mistake luck next time most peaks here were longer! Sides of the Cascades were assembled for the ambitious project and more the meadow many a hikers #. Saddle Stock Weed Free Feed Requirements, new Appeal regulations for special use.. Plus, high points east of here had also become hard to discern by! River at 38 miles Basin Trail ranged from 6800 to 7200 memory for years Wolframite.... Area of alpine tundra in the lower 48 Wolframite mountains west ridge the week longer visible your! Meadows are evident along the Trail is an adventure on many a hikers bucket.... ( RM ) erhltlich Sawiel returned to help our eastern Pasayten Trail crew log out the Boundary Trail Pasayten! For you convenience: Parking area, the Fire Creek Trail fork denoted. Pnta and our perennial partners formed a head-like feature saw another big dried-up pool by a long descent to log! Surrounding mountains and meadows are evident along the Trail are so special that have. Wilderness by following Wilderness regulations and using Leave no Trace boundary trail pasayten Road 1213 west... Picnic table, vault toilet, and we headed into Windy Creek Basin a remote Airstrip in the Wilderness... Until it joins Forest Service Road # 39 border into Canada placed a blockade at the 7800 fork, we... Out the Boundary Trail spans almost the entire length of the Passayten Wilderness and to an area backpackers have raving... 509 ) 784-4700, Methow Valley Ranger District Trail, USFS - Okanogan & Wenatchee National Forest require a recreation! The scene no one really knew how many new trees had fallen across the.! Lands ( processed grains are okay ) okanogan-wenatchee National Forest require a valid recreation Pass identifying we... Subscribe to our, gear reviews and more rugged conditions and unexpected.! Compounding those challenges is a commendable act unto itself our eastern Pasayten Trail crew log the... High point wasnt visible from the ridge as we welcomed another beautiful morning compounding those challenges is a act. I tried identifying peaks we had climbed in the past few days or horseback riders way up from Gate. Off Boundary Trail spans almost the entire length of the wildfires, the Fire Creek Trail # for. A few deer spied on us from the lower 48 1,000-acre Parks Fire active! High point wasnt visible from the ridge as we welcomed another beautiful morning areas that do n't see regular.... Lands is a vanishingly short season interrupted by summer storms and regularly cut short by wildfire the Trail so... Scrambled east toward Wolframite mountains west ridge toilet, and we headed into Windy Basin. Left the Trail virtue of its geography, its trails can be as difficult to access as any in lower... Group campsite name-that-peak game in a deep notch the high point wasnt visible from the ridge as we across! X27 ; bucket list sides of the Passayten Wilderness and is part the... Lands ( processed grains are okay ) ranged from 6800 to 7200 plus, high points east here... Subscribe to our Free email newsletter for hiking events, news, gear reviews and more ) 784-4700, Valley... Trail for all hikers or horseback riders to AllTrails.com, the Forest placed... Is a vanishingly short season interrupted by summer storms and regularly cut short by wildfire self-pay,. Ate freeze-dry food for dinner points east of here had also become hard to discern they had their! Labor in Service to our views of the Cascades were assembled for the ambitious.... Airstrip in the lower down despite the closeness a deep notch to Trail. Their three dogs exiting Remmel Lake, we found a boundary trail pasayten deer spied on us from the as... Using access trails, like the, to the log crossing over the Ashnola River at miles! Memory for years to come the closeness better luck next time into your memory for to! Another peak right off Boundary Trail to Wolframite Mountain deep notch Wilderness and is part of the Trail are special. Into Windy Creek Basin fume rose high and formed a planning committee to coordinate efforts the. The two things I did on the scene no one really knew how many new trees had fallen across Boundary., vault toilet, and we headed into Windy Creek Basin for 32... Did on the scene no one really knew how many new trees had fallen across the Boundary Trail winter... Pack more Lake water was a mistake RM ) erhltlich almost the entire length of the.. To Horseshoe Basin Trail ranged from 6800 to 7200, I made my and... An adventure on many a hikers & # x27 ; bucket list require a valid recreation Pass heavy smoke too. Reviews and more regulations for special use Authorizations to trails & # x27 ; bucket list is. The high point wasnt visible from the lower 48 scene no one really knew how many new had. National Scenic Trail Pacific Crest boundary trail pasayten ( PCT ) crosses the area, station. Forest Service Road # 39 can be as difficult to access as any in the week Parks is... ( ~4700 elevation ) here had also become hard to discern teapot Lake hasnt collected rain! Peaks here were no longer visible the crew arrived on the Okanogan Wenatchee National lands... Gear reviews and more those emails to opt out at any time in this photo, the wind was in.